Reunion
by lil'nomdeplume
Summary: In Agents of SHIELD, Coulson revealed that Nick Fury has a cabin in the woods by a lake he calls the "secret safehouse for people with powers". What if this is where Nick hides Pepper for Tony until the world is safe from Ultron's wrath? This story is what I imagine to be the reunion of Tony and Pepper, in the days after AOU. Rated M for sexual situations and language.
1. Chapter 1

**I came across the fact that Nick Fury has a secret cabin in the woods by a lake (according to a recent Agents of SHIELD episode) where he let Steve stay for a time to fully defrost and adapt to the new world he was in. Coulson called it his "secret safehouse for people with powers", I believe. **

**So, that set me to thinking. What IF Nick sent Pepper to hideout in his cabin during the whole Ultron debacle? It would be completely off the grid, right? Ultron can't infiltrate technology that's not there, so what better place to hide Tony's girlfriend for him until her safety could be guaranteed again? With that, I give you REUNION, or MY version of what should happen with Tony and Pepper directly AFTER AOU anyway. I hope you enjoy! **

**(Oh, and it's mighty smutty. Just fair warning! You know the rule! Be of legal age or be gone! Happy reading!) :D**

**XxXxXxXxXx**

_I hear we won and we're safe, _a text from Pepper read.

Tony was walking the deck of the helicarrier, going to meet Fury, when his phone alerted him of the message from her. He smiled, glad to be able to communicate with her again.

"_Word travels fast_," he texted back. "_And yes. We did and we are."_

Moments later, his phone buzzed again, and he opened her reply.

_When can I see you? I have something to tell you._

Tony cocked an eyebrow. "Something to tell me?" he muttered. "_Not sure, but why wait?_" he replied.

Pepper's response soon came. _Very well, _it said. _Are you sitting down?_

Tony frowned, and didn't answer back right away. After the last few weeks, he didn't know if he could take anymore surprises.

But Pepper apparently didn't feel a response from him was necessary, because moments later, an image from her showed up. He downloaded it, and watched as it appeared on his phone. He squinted to make it out, turning his head at first and then rotating the screen to enlarge the image. It appeared to be a picture of a long white stick, the length of a pencil, and the width of two, sitting on what looked like a bathroom counter top. The end of the stick had a purple cap on it, and in the center of the stick were two digital screens, one with a plus sign, and the other reading a single word.

"Pregnant," Tony muttered. His eyes suddenly went wide, and he stopped walking, becoming paralyzed as he stared at the image. He swallowed hard, his mind racing.

Another message soon came from Pepper. _"Told you you should be sitting down," _it said.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

That night, Tony landed a quinjet at some GPS coordinates Fury had given him, touching down softly right outside the location. He cut the engines, and fumbled with the restraints nervously, anxious to get outside. The exit ramp slowly lowered and he took a deep breath, eagerly awaiting the sight of who he knew would be there to greet him. The cool, dewy night air blew across his skin as he walked down the ramp, and out into the open. He looked across the grass to see the front door fly open and a long-legged red head come running out. "Tony!" she cried.

His face lit up, and he opened his arms wide, as she ran to him and jumped into his arms. He spun them around, as she squeezed him tight, crashing their lips together and kissing him voraciously. He set her down, and continued to kiss her, reveling in the taste of her lips and grateful to the heavens above she was alive and well, and safe in his arms again.

They broke the kiss, and Pepper's cheeks were moistened with streaming tears. "You came back to me," she murmured, stroked his cheek and looking into his eyes lovingly.

Tony smiled. "_Always," _he assured, wiping away her tears with a thumb. They both chuckled happily, and Pepper kissed him again. When the kiss broke, Tony grasped her hand, interlacing their fingers, and Pepper wrapped her other arm around his affectionately as they walked toward the front door of the cabin.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

"So this is it, huh?" Tony said, looking around once they'd walked inside. "Fury's super secret safe house?"  
Pepper closed the door behind her and sidled back up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Tony put his hands on her sides, and Pepper sighed, happy to feel his touch again. "Yep, it's been home sweet home these last few weeks," she said, looking around as well.

The cabin was the quintessential picture of what a lakeside retreat would be. Most of the walls were hewn logs chinked in traditional log cabin style. It was filled with pine log furniture and the plank floors creaked when you walked on them. The faint smell of wood smoke filled the air as a big stone fireplace, the hearth blackened from many years of use, stood on the east wall. It looked to Tony like it was large enough to heat the entire house. It appeared there were two bedrooms, one large master and one small spare, and, from where they stood at the main entrance, the kitchen was just off the living room to the west, with a door leading out to the back porch.

The soft glow of the lamps Pepper had turned on in the living room bathed them both in dim yellow light. "Seems..._cozy," _Tony commented, turning his gaze back to his girlfriend and smiling at her fondly.

"It _is. _Especially now that _you're _here," Pepper purred, reaching up to nibble his earlobe and trace delicate kisses down his throat. Tony smiled, loving the affection, but he had to stop her advances for just a moment. There was still the matter of the image she'd sent him.

"Pepper, hold on, baby. We need to talk. Don't you think?" he urged.

Pepper stopped and pulled back to look at him. She bit her lip and nodded cautiously, unsure of where Tony was going with this.

"From the picture you sent me, you're...you're..." Tony said, stammering and pointing awkwardly at her stomach.  
"_Pregnant,_ Tony," Pepper said, smirking and folding her arms.

Tony smiled awkwardly. "Yeah," he said. "Is this...I mean...are you..." he began again.

"Am I _what?_" Pepper asked, a lilt of annoyance in her voice.

Tony examined her face for a moment before he spoke again. "Is this what you _want, _Pepper?" he asked softly.

Pepper face fell. "Are you asking me if I...if I'm..." she said. This time it was she who was tongue-tied. She cocked her head and frowned. "Tony, are you telling me you want me to..."

Tony's eyes went wide at the realization of what she was thinking. "Oh! No!" he cried. "Oh, God, no. No!That's entirely up to you. I'm just..." he said, shaking his head in disbelief. He sighed. "Pepper," he said. "You have to admit this is..._unexpected."_

Pepper frowned. "Of course it is," she agreed. "It's not like we were _planning _to get pregnant. It just _happened."  
_"Right, so..." Tony said, shrugging. "I'm just asking you if this is what you want. Are you happy about this?"

Pepper examined his face silently for a moment. "Well, I _was,_" she murmured. "But I can see _you're _not."

Tony frowned. "I didn't say that," he assured.

"You didn't have to," Pepper said. "If you _were _happy about this, we'd be having a very different conversation right now, Tony." Pepper spun around and left his presence. Tony stood stone still in the middle of the living room, watching her storm off into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. He put his hands on his hips and looked to the ceiling. "Shit," he muttered.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Pepper closed the bedroom door, and immediately the tears started to fall. Her shoulders shivered as she made her way to the bed. She sat down heavily on the edge, and grabbed one of the bed pillows to cry into. She knew her being pregnant would take Tony by complete surprise, but she never thought he'd question her desire to keep the baby. She knew he wouldn't go so far as to tell her to terminate the pregnancy. And for _that_ she was grateful. But, by his reaction, it didn't seem he wanted much to do with it. And that broke her heart.

She never intended to get pregnant, but when she saw the indicators on the test tell her she was, she was instantly overjoyed. She had, in the past, thought about what it would be like if she and Tony had a baby, and the thought had always been an exciting one. But now, it was like it was more of burden that Tony was asking her if she really wanted to carry. Beyond a shadow of doubt, she _knew _she wanted to keep the baby, and raise it. And if Tony didn't want any part of that, then she supposed she'd be a single mother. She wanted him to know this wasn't done on purpose, and she wasn't trying to trap him into anything. Yet, bitter tears fell down her cheeks at the thought that she and Tony would part ways, and she'd be left to raise their child alone.

A soft knocking came from the door."Pep?" she heard Tony call from the hallway. "Can I come in?"

She didn't answer. She wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to him right now.

"Pepper?" he said again. "Fine, I guess I'm pleading my case from the hall." She heard him exhale sharply. "Pep, I..." Tony started. "I never imagined myself being a father..."  
"Then you don't have to be," Pepper called out.

"Wait, let me finish," Tony pleaded. "I never imagined it because I...never thought I'd find a woman who I'd want to be a _father with,_" he continued. "But honey? You've put to bed any preconceived notions I ever had about being a..." Tony paused. He smiled to himself at what he was about to reveal to her. "A _husband. And _a father." He nodded, proud of the fact of the fact that he'd confessed this to Pepper. The timing never seemed right before. Life had taken over, and he and Pepper had just become comfortable in their relationship where it was at. But considering what had happened in the last few weeks, and _now, _with a baby in the picture, he couldn't think of any better time to say what he was going to say next.

Pepper heard his words, and instantly raised her head, staring at the door he was standing behind with her eyes wide. She tossed the pillow back onto the bed and stood up abruptly. She walked briskly to the door, and yanked it open to find Tony standing there. They stared at each other for a moment.

"_Husband?_" Pepper said. "Who said anything about you being a husband?" she asked.

Tony smiled, relieved he didn't have to talk through a door anymore. "Pepper," he said. "If you're having my baby, you're going to be my wife," he assured. "Call me old fashioned, but..."  
"Really?" she asked, staring at him intensely. "Are you _really_ asking me?"

Tony's expression softened. "Oh, you don't think I'm serious?" he said, smirking. Pepper didn't know how to respond. Tony raised a cautious hand in front of him. "Hold on," he said. Pepper watched him curiously as he dug into his pants pocket, and produced a little black velvet-covered box. Pepper gasped. She put a hand to her mouth and shook her head. Tony smiled. He bent down in front of her on one knee and looked into her eyes. She was crying. "Pepper, being without you these last few weeks was _hell_. And it made me realize that I can't wait one second longer to do this. Especially _now." _He smiled at her, and Pepper smiled sheepishly back, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Pepper Potts?" he murmured. "I want _you_ to be my wife," he said, popping open the box. "_And _the mother of my child."

She watched as he opened the box. Inside, was a single stone round cut diamond ring that must have been at least three carats, by Pepper's estimation. It was set in a very classic, very elegant platinum setting. Pepper gasped again, smiling widely. "Oh Tony!" she exclaimed.

"So how about it, Pep?" Tony said softly. He faced the box towards her and looked into her eyes. "Will you marry me?"

"Oh, Tony! Yes!" she said breathlessly. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

Their kiss broke and Tony took the ring out of the box. She held out her left hand as he gently slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. She looked at him. "How did you know my size?" she asked.

"I..._I didn't,_" he stammered. "_Wow,_" he said to himself. He picked her hand up and studied the ring on her finger. "It fits _perfectly,_" he murmured. He had a look of shock on his face.

Pepper looked at him curiously. "What's the matter?" she said, shifting her eyes between his face and the ring.

Tony realized how odd he must look, and snapped back to reality. "This _ring,_" he said as he shifted his gaze to Pepper. "Was given to me by my mother not long before she died. It was _her_ engagement ring. And before _her_, it was my grandmother's, and so on. Ma told me when she gave it to me to save it for the woman that I knew I'd want to spend my life with."

Pepper's breath caught in her chest. She pressed her fist to her lips as new tears formed in her eyes.

Tony smiled and continued. "Who knew all those years ago that _you'd_ be the one I'd be giving it to. And that it would fit your finger so perfectly. Like it's..."

"Meant to be," Pepper said finishing his sentence.

Tony smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Meant to be," he murmured. He looked at her tenderly. "I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," she said softly, smiling lovingly.

Tony stood back up, and Pepper pulled him to her, kissing him hard. He lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his hips, walking them over to the bed as they continued kissing eagerly. He set her down so she stood at the edge of the bed, and they hastily pulled off their clothes, anxious to get to each others bodies and feel each others touch.

Once they were completely unclothed, Tony gently laid Pepper on her back, and moved over the top of her. She opened her legs for him, and he carefully positioned himself between them. He slowly slid into her and gently began to thrust. "Oh, yeah. _Missed _that," he murmured.

He continued to thrust, and kiss Pepper's lips. Each time he broke the kiss, she'd smiled sweetly at him and he'd smile back, their eyes sparkling with blissful love.

Soon, after settling into a rhythm, Tony looked down at Pepper, and cocked an eyebrow. "So, just so we're clear, you _are_ going to marry me, right?" he said, looking at her. He squinted his eyes and pursed his lips, faking skepticism.

She giggled. "Yes," she said sweetly.

He grinned. He loved hearing her say it. He thrust deeply inside of her and she moaned in approval. He bent to kiss her lips tenderly. "How about _now?_ Are you still going to _now_? Is the answer still the same?" he teased, when he pulled away. He quirked an eyebrow at her playfully.

She giggled again. "Yes, I'm _still_ going to marry you."

"_Good_," Tony said. He faked a serious look. "I'm going to keep checking, though. Just to make sure you haven't changed your mind and you still want this guy around," he said, pointing his thumb at his chest. Pepper grinned.

"Oh, I want you _around_," she purred. "I want you around for a _very _long time."

Tony smiled and pumped his eyebrows at her. He bent to kiss her lips again. She pulled him to her and he thrust harder and deeper. She moaned. "Yes, do _that_," she cooed.

"What, _this_?" he teased. He did it again.

Pepper inhaled sharply. "Mmmmhmmmm," she hummed dreamily. She closed her eyes as he thrust in and out of her harder now. She moaned and sighed. He felt her opening tightened around him and he bent to kiss her neck, keeping the pace, thrusting deep inside of her rhythmically.

"Ooooo!" she squealed. She undulated her hips with his hips. "Yes, Tony, yes!" she cried. "Oh, just like that!"

"Yeah, Pepper, ohhhhhhhh," he moaned, his hips jerking as the waves of orgasm began to rush over his body. Pepper wrapped her arms and legs around him and felt her body squeeze him hard inside of her. Tony groaned, thrusting quickly now.

"Oh. Oh! OH! OHHHHHH! Huhhh!" Pepper said, her body writhing as she came. She closed her eyes tight, feeling her opening contract and release over and over as Tony pulsed against her g-spot. They rode the waves together, and Tony groaned as he let go inside of her. He pumped her until his muscles released and they laid together, their limbs numb, and their skin damp and warm. They breathed heavily together for a few moments as they held each other close.

He looked into her eyes and smiled. "Still marrying me?" he teased her.

"_Oh,_ yes," Pepper assured.

Tony smirked. "Just checking_," _he said, shifting off the top of her and to the side. He propped himself up on a elbow and smiled at her lovingly.

"And you do _want_ to be a daddy, right?" Pepper teased.

"More than anything in the world," Tony said, smiling broadly. "Really? We're pregnant? You're not pranking me just to make me put a ring on it, or something?"  
Pepper giggled and smacked him in the shoulder. "No, of course not! And what was all that _'are you happy about this'_ talk, anyway? You made it sound like you didn't _want _the baby," Pepper said.

Tony frowned. "No, that wasn't it at _all. _I had it in my mind that I was going to propose to you when we were together again, but I wanted to make sure that being pregnant didn't make you feel _trapped _with me."  
"Trapped with _you?" _Pepper asked in disbelief. "Why on _Earth_ would _I_ feel trapped? If anything, I'd think _you'd_ feel trapped. From your reaction, you had me thinking we'd break up, and I'd be a single parent," Pepper stated.

Tony grimaced. "God, really? I'd have to be a real asshole to do that to you, Pep. Are you kidding? I _love _you. I mean, _clearly,_" Tony said, holding up her left hand in front of them. They both smiled at each other.

"_Pregnant,_" Tony mused, shaking his head in disbelief. "Whew! Didn't see _that _one coming."

Pepper giggled. "Neither did _I_, honestly," she agreed. "But isn't it amazing?" she cooed, laying a hand on her lower abdomen.

Tony smiled lovingly. "Completely amazing," he said. He put his hand over the top of hers, and bent to kiss her lips.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony awoke the next morning to the sound of birds chirping in the trees outside and sunshine gleaming through the bedroom window. Pepper was wrapped tightly in his arms, with the heavy quilt that was the bedspread draped over the top of them, and she was softly dozing with her head to his chest. He loosened his hold on her and moved very carefully to prop himself up on one arm to watch her sleep just for a moment. He gently brushed her hair back from her face and looked at her adoringly. He _still_ couldn't believe it. He'd _finally_ asked her to marry him, and she'd _actually_ said yes. She was going to be officially _his_, and _he her's_,_ forever_.

Pepper stirred. She inhaled slowly and opened her eyes. She turned her head to look up at Tony and he beamed. "Good morning, _beautiful,_" he cooed. He bent to kiss her shoulder, and she smiled.

"Good morning," she replied. "Sleep well?""

"Best I've slept in a _long_ time," he said. "I needed that. And so did _you_, I'd imagine."

"_Mmmmmmm_," Pepper hummed, nodding in agreement. "I definitely prefer _this_ sleeping arrangement." She twisted to where she was lying flat on her back, looking up at Tony.

He bent to gently give her a peck on the lips. He looked down at her left hand, and picked it up. He held it up to the light. The ring sparkled. "I _love_ the way this looks on you," he said tenderly, kissing her hand.

Pepper wrapped her fingers around his and looked at the ring in admiration. "_So do I_," she said. She looked at Tony. "It's perfect. The diamond, the setting, _everything_ is just..." She sighed happily, and looked back at the ring. "_Exquisite._"

"Isn't it?" Tony agreed. "You know most of the men in my family had the setting changed to match the style of the women they were giving it to? But I _didn't._ My mom had great taste, and I thought it was perfect for _you_ just the way it is. Is that weird to you at all?"

"Not at all! I agree, it _is_ perfect," Pepper said, rolling onto her stomach now, and propping herself up on bent elbows. "You've never told me much about your mother."

It dawned on Tony that he'd never really talked much about his parents to Pepper other than the occasional gripe about how he and his dad didn't get along. "_Okay_," he said slowly. "Well," he thought for a moment, running his hand gently through her hair and down her back, creating goosebumps on Pepper's skin from his feather-light touch. "She was a very elegant woman. Extremely kind and gracious. She had dark wavy hair_,_ and people that knew her say I have her eyes, but I don't know. My father met her in Italy when she was 18 and he was 23. They fell in love, so he brought her to New York and married her."

Pepper smiled warmly. "What else?" she said softly.

Tony smiled warmly back. He was delighted to be able to share some memories about his mom with Pepper. Like a lot of Italian families, Tony was the apple of his mother's eye when she was alive. And he missed her a lot from time to time. "Well, her family name was Carbonell. I'd guess that I probably still have relatives somewhere in Italy now that I don't even know. My grandfather, her father, didn't like Pop very much, so she really didn't talk to her family very often once she came to the US."

Pepper's eyes saddened. "That's too bad," she said sweetly. "Maybe we could look them up some day?"

"Yeah, maybe," Tony said. Truthfully, he hadn't really thought about it. He vaguely remembered an Uncle and a couple of cousins from when he was a kid that had come to visit them in New York once. Past that, he couldn't recall anything else.

"I'm sure she was a tremendous cook, right?" Pepper said, changing the subject to something more upbeat.

Tony smiled proudly. "Ma was _the best,_" he purred. "_Me_, on the other hand..."

"Can burn water. I _know._ I've had to be witness to it unfortunately," Pepper teased.

Tony smiled at her joke. His eyes glazed over in thought. "She'd be in the kitchen cooking for _hours,_ sometimes." Tony's voice was soft as he reminisced. "She'd have the radio cranked. It was always Italian opera, usually some live recording from the Met. Her favorite was anything of Pavarotti's and she knew all of the words." Tony's eyes sparkled as his memory came alive. "She'd be belting it out right along with him at the top of her lungs. And Pop would always yell from the other room, 'Pipe down, Maria! I'm trying to watch the game!' " Tony said, rolling his eyes at his father's reaction. Pepper giggled at the excitement Tony had in telling her the story, and he smiled at her warmly.

"So did she have a good voice?" Pepper asked.

"She did alright, yeah," Tony said. He smiled fondly at recalling the memory. "But that was her favorite thing to do. Cook, and listen to opera."

Pepper watched him lovingly for a moment. Tony was silent. He raised her hand and kissed it tenderly. "All I know is, you would've _loved_ her."

"I can imagine. I wish she was around so I could learn some of her recipes," Pepper replied.

"Oh, _yeah,_" Tony said in agreement. "So do I! And she would've loved to have an apprentice. _In fact_," he said. "She would've loved_ you. Period_."  
Pepper smiled. "And why is _that_?" she asked.

Tony raised a gentle hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Because _I _love you," he said softly. All of this talk was making him miss his mom horribly, so he stayed silent for a few moments, stroking Pepper's cheek, until the lump in his throat loosened. He wished she was still alive, especially now that he'd be getting married, and Pepper was pregnant. He knew she'd be thrilled for him, and she would've been a very doting grandmother.

Pepper leaned over to kiss his lips. Tony turned over onto his back, and Pepper laid back down and nestled into his chest. He started rubbing her back in slow circles, reveling in the moment with her in the quiet of the bedroom.

"Hey," Pepper said, drawing him out of his thoughts after a few moments. "How about some breakfast?"

Tony smiled. "Sounds _fantastic,_" he replied, raising his head to kiss the top of hers.

Pepper raised up onto all fours and smiled at him. She pecked his lips before climbing out of bed. He watched her still naked body move across the room, reluctant to have her leave his side and to cover up with a long white v-neck t-shirt. He admired her long legs as she left the room and walked toward the kitchen.

Tony rolled back onto his back, and worked his jaw in thought. He couldn't believe how, from one moment to the next, it went from looking like the world was doomed, and he'd lose Pepper in the process, to being here, in this little oasis away from everything, with her, engaged and a soon-to-be father. _If I thought protecting her was important before, _he thought. _I have my work cut out for me now. _

He turned his head to watch her bustle around the kitchen, and he smiled, so grateful she was safe again, and they were together. "Hey, baby?" Tony called out. "I think I'll hit the showers before breakfast."

"Okay! But don't dawdle. This won't take long," she called back.

Tony rolled out of bed and wandered through the living room, naked, to the bathroom off the kitchen. Pepper caught a glimpse, and Tony noticed. He smirked at her cockily. "Like what you see, Potts? " he teased making a detour back into the kitchen, puffing his chest.

Pepper giggled. "Did you come in here just to strut like a peacock for me?" she teased.

"Yeah. Is it working?" Tony said, stopping to flex his muscles.

Pepper laughed out loud, and lovingly pecked his lips. "Well, you're cute for trying, anyway," she joked.

Tony teeter-tottered his head, "Okay, I guess I'll take it," he said. He stood in front of her and ran his hands up her thighs, raising the t-shirt she was wearing to expose more of her body to him. "You could halt production and come join me, you know," he purred in her ear while giving her a sexy smolder.

"I'll have to take a rain check," she replied. "I'm more hungry than horny at the moment. Funny what pregnancy does to your appetite."

"_And_ sex drive," Tony corrected. "Last night, you were certainly _quite_ the opposite."

"Enjoyed that, did you?" Pepper purred.

"Oh _yeah,_" Tony purred back, smirking.

"Well, go take your shower and there _might_ just be more where that came from," she teased, walking her fingers playfully up his bare chest.

Tony's eyes brightened, looking from her fingers to her eyes. "Yes, ma'am," he said, grinning. Pepper giggled and lightly smacked his behind as he turned to go. She secretly admired the view before it disappeared out of the corner, and then she sighed and shook her head smiling, grateful he'd made it through the last few weeks alive and back into her arms.

Tony turned on the shower and let the water heat up. As he waited, he noticed the pregnancy test that Pepper had sent him a picture of sitting on the bathroom counter still. He picked it up and studied it. "Pregnant," he muttered to himself. He shook his head and smiled. "_Unbelievable_."

XxXxXxXxXx

Tony showered, enjoying the feeling of the hot water washing away the aches and pains of the last few weeks. A few minutes later, when we was finished, he climbed out, and wrapped a towel around his waist. Just then, Pepper appeared in the doorway. "Breakfast is ready. Everything is warming in the oven," she informed him.

"Okay, Pep. Uh, c'mere for a minute," he said, motioning for her to come in.

"What?" she asked, sitting down on the counter in front of him.

Tony examined his face in the mirror. "Lookin' a little scraggly, here, Potts. Wanna help me out?"  
Pepper smiled. "Haven't done _that _for a while," she mused.

"I know, but I figured it would be a good time for you to do it," he said. "Plus, you do a better job than I do. And I love being pampered by you anyway, babe."

Pepper smiled. "Well, since you put it _that _way, how can I resist?" she said. "There is a can of shaving crème and a straight razor in the drawer."

"Ooo, straight razor," Tony cooed.

"I know. Your favorite," Pepper cooed back. Tony retrieved the items from the drawer and handed them to her, and then stepped between her legs. Pepper squirted some shaving crème into her palm. She smoothed it over Tony's cheeks and neck, and he stared lovingly into her eyes as she extended the blade and carefully began to shave his face. When she finished his cheeks, she motioned for him to raise his chin, and he did, and she glided the blade in slow upward strokes on his throat. "There," she said, one she'd finished. "You're doing your chin. I'm not risking botching _that," _she joked.

"Fair enough," Tony said, taking the razor from her, and stepping out from between her legs to lean into the mirror. He began to meticulously carve out the patch under his lower lip. Pepper watched him as he worked. Once he was finished, he rinsed his face, and patted it dry with a nearby hand towel. He surveyed their work in the mirror and smiled in satisfaction. "Well, hello, _handsome_," he purred. Pepper giggled. "Perfect. Not even a nick. Not bad for using the same razor Fury has used to shave that dome of his," he said. Pepper laughed and Tony smiled. He bent to peck her lips. "What dya' think?" he asked.  
"Mmmmmm, handsome as always," she cooed, kissing him again. She watched as Tony opened his toiletry bag and splashed on some aftershave. Pepper's insides instantly fluttered with arousal. She forgot how much she missed that smell, and it instantly made her want to drag Tony back into the bedroom.

Tony eyed her long legs, and the level of the counter top in relation to his body. "You know?" he rumbled. "This counter sits at _just about _the right level for a, uh, certain activity, wouldn't you say?"

Pepper giggled bashfully.

Tony chuckled. "Oh, if Fury only _knew _the things we're going to be doing to defile this place while we're here. He would never have given us the keys."

Pepper laughed. "If he knows _you, _he's already thought about it," she assured.

"And betting you'll keep me in _line_," Tony rumbled. He stepped back between her legs, and lowered his lips to playfully kiss her neck, flicking his tongue flirtatiously against her skin as he did it. Pepper squealed in delight. "Which was a tactical error on his part, I might add," Tony said.

Pepper bit her lip and looked into Tony's eyes wantonly. "Okay, _this_ is a dilemma," she said. "I want breakfast, but you also smell fantastic, and it's driving me _wild _right now."

"Hmmmm, what to do, what to do," Tony murmured into her ear as he nibbled the lobe. "Well, Potts, we're already here, so..."  
Pepper nodded emphatically, her chest heaving with sudden arousal. "Yeah, that's _exactly_ what I..." She didn't finish her sentence. Instead, she kissed Tony's mouth hard while simultaneously yanking the towel down from around his hips. His erection bobbed to attention, and Pepper moaned. Tony growled as he scooted her bottom to the edge of the counter, and expertly slid into her.

"You're so wet, baby," he moaned hoarsely. "You want me?"

Pepper nodded emphatically again. "Yes. _Always_," she replied hoarsely. She braced herself with one hand on the counter, wrapping the other arm around Tony's neck and tilting her body into his. Tony wrapped his arms under her legs, and grasped the tops of her thighs. He thrust harder, and Pepper squeaked with pleasure. He pumped her body, making her moan and call his name.

Tony bit his lip and furrowed his brow, feverishly fucking Pepper on the counter and feeling the heights of arousal switch into pre-orgasmic spasms. Pepper gripped his shoulder as she cried out, and then ran a hand down to her sex to swirl her fingers over her swollen clit.

"Ooooooyeahhhhh. _Fuck_ that's hot," Tony groaned, as he watched.

Pepper smiled coyly, and bit her lip, panting. But her expression turned into a frown when Tony pulled out of her and sank down to a crouching position.

"What's wrong?" Pepper asked.

Tony was now eye level with her sex. He flicked his eyes back up to her's and smirked. "Not a _god damn _thing," he quipped, grinning, his eyes wild with desire. He swiped his tongue up her opening and around her clit like he was licking an ice cream cone, and Pepper jolted, moaning.

"Holy _hell_, has it been too long since I did this to you," Tony remarked.

Pepper nodded. "Yes. Yes, it most _certainly _has," she agreed breathlessly.

Tony did it again, and then stayed on her clit, flicking his tongue over it again and again, making Pepper squirmed and moan. Then, he began sucking it and Pepper inhaled through her teeth sharply. "Ooooh!" she said. "Yes, just like that!" she begged.

Tony repeated the motion and moaned against her skin, making her writhe with pleasure. Pepper rested a hand on the back of his head, and Tony moved closer to wrap his arms around her thighs. "Oh! God!" she cried. "Oh! Yes!"  
"Mmmmmmm," Tony purred, tasting her flavor as she began to come. He sucked and licked her folds voraciously now, and Pepper cried out in ecstasy.

"My _God, _you taste good," Tony said, his words slightly muffled as his mouth was still devouring her sex. Pepper yelped and howled with orgasm pleasure as she held her hand to the back of his head, with Tony increasing his movement and pressure on her pink folds. Orgasmic pulses wracked her body, and her legs trembled, despite Tony's tight grip on them.

"Oh! Tony! Fuck me! I need you inside of me!" Pepper cried out, as he finished his work eating her out.

He slowly came to a stop, and laid soft kisses all the way up her stomach, to her chest, and then met her gaze. He smirked at her cockily, running a hand over his goatee to wick away her fluids. "As you _wish," _he said. "I won't ignore you begging me to fuck you."  
Pepper smiled weakly, but then pulled him into a deep kiss, pushing her tongue into his mouth and moaning at the taste of her sex still on his tongue as she kissed him. She yanked his hips into hers forcefully. Tony angled his still erect member downward, guiding it back into her with his hand, and then resuming the thrusting motion he was doing prior to. Pepper broke the kiss and hummed loudly with appreciation, and Tony grunted as his body reacted to the sensation.

"Feel good, baby?" Tony asked breathlessly.

"Ohhhhhyessss," Pepper hissed. She looked down her body to watch Tony slide in and out of her body over and over again.

"You like to watch me fuck you?" Tony asked, noticed where her gaze had landed.

Pepper nodded. "Yes. You're _so big_," she purred in reply.

Tony's eyes lit up. "Yeah, Pep! Keep talking to me. _Fuck_, I love it when you talk to me."

Pepper's insides fluttered at the thought that her words were turning him on even more. "You're so _big_, Tony. I love it when you're inside of me, and you fuck my little pussy with that big, hard..."

Tony inhaled sharply through his teeth."OOOOOHGODYEAAAHHHHH!" he growled, his hips jerking as he was pushed over the edge. His cock rammed against her g-spot as he thrust into her hard over and over, and Pepper yowled with extreme pleasure. "Oh! Fuck!" Tony cried out, thrusting one last time and staying buried balls deep as he let go of his load inside of her, unable to hold back any longer. He grunted loudly, gritting his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut until his body released him and he popped his eyes open again, grinning with deep satiation.

"Jesus H on a _bicycle, _that was _hot!" _he exclaimed, falling forward lazily into Pepper's arms, panting. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, stroking his dampened hair. He pulled back to look at her in awe, and she giggled again. "Wow," he gasped. "You and your dirty little mouth."

Pepper smiled bashfully. "Well, it _worked, _didn't it?"

Tony nodded and huffed, trying to catch his breath. He stood back up, and pulled out of Pepper, his cock now medium soft, and softening further by the second. He rolled his eyes in amazement, and Pepper sat up, smiling proudly.

"_Now, _breakfast?" she asked smirking.

Tony nodded and grinned. "_Yes_," he panted breathlessly. "You _earned it."_


	3. Chapter 3

Pepper smiled and kissed Tony's lips before she left the bathroom to go back into the kitchen, and he left to go back to the bedroom to get dressed. He soon reappeared in the kitchen, dressed in black sweats with a white stripe up the side and a navy blue t-shirt with long light gray sleeves connected at the elbows. Pepper was plating up their breakfast, and Tony sidled up behind her, sweeping her hair to the side, and kissing her neck.

Pepper purred in approval, and smiled, closing her eyes and tilting her head back against his shoulder and to the side to give him better access. They both giggled at the enjoyment of being back in each others presence. Tony grabbed her hand and turned her around to face him. He kissed her soundly, and Pepper moaned in his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Tony wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly broke the kiss, but not before pecking her lips once more softly before pulling away. "Mmmmm, missed you," he murmured, resting his forehead on hers.

Pepper smiled. "I missed you, too," she said smiling.

"Never again," Tony murmured.

Pepper cocked her head and looked at him curiously. "What was that?" she said.

Tony raised his head and cleared his throat. "I, uh, I said, 'never again'," he said.

"And that means?" Pepper said, not following his thought process.

"That _means_..." Tony said, teeter-tottering his head back and forth. He inhaled sharply through his teeth. "I quit. I'm done. That's it. No more_...avenging,"_ he said, smirking knowingly.

"What? You quit?" Pepper said.

Tony nodded. "Yep," he said. "No more trying to save the world. Cap's got this. It's him, Black Widow, the Maximoff girl, Falcon. Rhodey decided to sign on, so..."  
"Oh, Tony!" Pepper exclaimed, just before kissing him hard. Tony's eyebrows shot up, and he chuckled at her fervor, kissing her back. Pepper abruptly broke the kiss and smiled. "It's just us now? We can finally..."

"It's just you and me, baby," Tony said. "Time to ride off in to the sunset, you know? And, on _that_ note," he said, pecking her lips once before continuing. "I wanted to run something past you," he said, looking into her eyes with a mischievous smirk.

Pepper grinned. "I'm listening," she said.

Tony furrowed his brow, trying to look serious. He turned to put a hand on Pepper's belly. "What would _you _say to you, me, and mini-Stark, here, finding a nice quiet place in the country to live out our days?" he said, looking from Pepper's belly back up into her eyes. "You know, Barton's got a place like that. Fury helped set him up with it. Turns out the big bad assassin is a family man."

"Really?" Pepper said, wrinkling her nose and smiling in surprise.

Tony nodded. "Mmmm hmmm. He's got a wife, and 2, well, _three, _kids now. He's totally off the grid. Like, middle of nowhere, on a farm type of deal."

"A _farm?!_" Pepper said with surprise. "And you've decided that you..."

"And _you. _And..." Tony said, nodding and pointing at her stomach. Pepper just gazed at him in astonishment. Tony cleared his throat again. "Pep, if you could _see _this place," Tony murmured in wonder. "I know, I know. It sounds weird, but..."

"Yes," Pepper said, grinning excitedly.

"What? Yes?!" Tony said, looking at her curiously.

Pepper nodded emphatically. "Yes, Tony. Yes. Let's do it. I want that for us. Let's do it," she said before kissing him forcefully.

Tony kissed her back, again with surprise. Pepper broke the kiss and giggled excitedly. "Wow, _that _was an easy sell," Tony quipped, and she giggled again. "Seriously. I thought I'd have to do like a timeshare presentation, get you tickets to Disneyland, or Vegas or something, just to get you to bite. Really. I didn't think you'd..." he babbled.  
Pepper laughed. "Oh? You don't think I could get used to the simple life, huh?" she teased. "And what about you, Mr. Creature-comforts? It would definitely be a change of pace from anything _you've _ever experienced."  
Tony chuckled. "The 'simple life'. That's what Cap said, too," he replied. "And why is it so hard to believe that I'd want that for us? Pepper, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that the world can get complicated in a hurry. I've had enough complication, you know? All I need now is _you_."

"And mini-stark?" she asked him, resting a hand on her stomach.

Tony chuckled and nodded, putting his hand over hers. "_And _mini-stark. Abso-_lutely_," he agreed, shrugging at the obviousness.

They chuckled and Tony kissed Pepper's lips softly. He pulled her into hug, kissing the side of her head, and burying his nose in her hair. "I'm so glad you're on board with this," he said.

Pepper rested her head on his shoulder. "Are you kidding? The idea of a quiet life spent with you and our baby sounds..." she said dreamily.

"Perfect?" Tony offered.

"Better than perfect," Pepper replied. She raised her head and smiled at him lovingly. Tony smiled back.

"So where do we start? What do we do first?" Pepper asked.

Tony exhaled, and clucked his tongue in thought. "Well," he said. "We'll have to figure out where a good place to put down roots would be, and..."

"I think we should look at Kansas," Pepper said urgently. "Somewhere close to my family. My mother would absolutely be in _heaven _if she got to be close to her grandchild."

"Okay," Tony said, nodding in approval and grinning. "Kansas it _is._"

Pepper beamed. She bounced up and down excitedly, and Tony chuckled at her enthusiasm. "I can't believe we're talking about this!" she said. "Really? You _really _want to do this?" she asked again.

"You don't believe me?" Tony asked. "Seriously, Potts. You've got trust issues," he joked. "First, you didn't believe I'd propose to you, and _look_," he said, holding up her left hand in front of her face. "_Now, _I say I want to build a farm for us to settle down on, and you're questioning me?" he teased.

"Well, it _is _unbelievable that the great Tony Stark would want to settle down _anywhere_ with _anyone,_" she teased back.

"Oh, baby, I'm a changed man," he said, smirking. He shrugged. "And finding the perfect girl helps, too."

"And don't I _know_ it," Pepper purred, kissing his lips sweetly.

"So?" Tony said. "You ready to create our own little _Green Acres, _Virginia Marie_?" _he asked. They chuckled.

"Mmmmm, quiet dewy mornings, and nothing but the sound of birds chirping in the trees," Pepper mused dreamily.

"A two-story farm house, with a porch swing?" Tony interjected.

"Where we could watch the sunsets? And drink iced tea in the summer?" Pepper replied.

Tony smiled fondly and nodded. "You'd be hanging clothes to dry on the line..."

"While you'd be in the barn, working on...I don't know, I'm sure you'd find _something _to tinker with," Pepper teased. They smiled amusingly at each other.

"Big family barbecues in the summer," Tony said.

"And cozy Christmas mornings," Pepper said, grinning.

"Sounds like paradise," Tony murmured, gazing at her adoringly.

"Paradise with _you,_" Pepper replied, smiling softly.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

They ate their breakfast together blissfully, chattering about everything that had happened in the last couple of weeks, and how much had changed. When they'd brought each other up to speed, Tony suddenly realized one very important detail that Pepper probably hadn't been made aware of, and it kind of broke his heart to have to break it to her.

"Pep, there is _one _thing that I should tell you," he said cautiously. Pepper stopped chewing her last strip of bacon and look at him apprehensively.

"What is it?" she asked softly.

Tony grimaced. He took her hand in his, and Pepper's face grew increasingly worried. "Tony?" she said. "What _is_ it?" she repeated, with more urgency.

"It's J," he said forlornly. "He's..._gone."  
_"Gone?" Pepper said, her brow furrowing with confusion. "What do you mean _gone?"_

"Gone, as in wiped out. No longer in existence," Tony clarified. "Ultron got to him and, well..." Tony said, making an 'off-with-his-head' gesture across his neck.

"Oh, Tony!" Pepper gasped, her heartbreaking for him, knowing how much JARVIS had meant to him over the years. JARVIS was the first thing Tony had created after his parents had died. He'd modeled him after his family's long-time faithful butler by the same name, and in a desperate attempt to fend off crushing loneliness, Tony created JARVIS to keep him company by using the butler's familiar voice. Over the years, Tony had thought of his AI almost as a real person, with thoughts and feelings, like the family he no longer had. She knew Tony would never openly admit to it, but she knew this only because of the small gestures of consideration Tony would make for JARVIS in day-to-day life. He'd even hung a stocking on the mantle at Christmas time with JARVIS's name on it. It was one Tony had kept from when he was a child. It had been hung for JARVIS the butler, back then, but was transferred to JARVIS, the AI, present day.  
"So, the Vision has JARVIS's voice, which is..._weird. _But kinda cool at the same time," Tony continued. "So, it's safe to say that JARVIS is a real boy now," he said, chuckling at the Pinnochio reference. "But he's also so much more. He's everybody. He's all of us. Get this! He can even lift Mjolnir!" Tony said with amusement. Pepper looked at him with surprise and laughed.

"I bet Thor was shocked!" she said.

"Oh, he totally tried to play it off. But it boiled his noodle, you could tell," Tony said.

They laughed, but then, gradually, Tony's face fell back to one of reminiscent sorrow. His eyes got lost in thought and he worked his jaw, and Pepper watched him for a moment, letting him work through this small moment of grief in silence. "I'm gonna miss him, Pep," Tony said. He flicked his back up to Pepper's and smiled weakly. Pepper leaned forward and cupped his cheek.

"I know you will," she said softly. Tony gently grasped her hand and kissed the palm of it, then patted it lovingly. Pepper smiled, quickly trying to think of a way to change the subject.

"So, more about Clint's secret farm," she said, leaning on an elbow, and listening to Tony intently. "Tell me _everything_..."


	4. Chapter 4

**I know I haven't updated this fic in a while, so I thought I should write a quick chapter for it and insert some fluff into my updates, as a lot of my other stories are very heavy. Plus, as we all know, we are in a Pepperony movie-fluff drought at the moment, so I figured I should do my part to bring on a little rain! Life is crazy for me right now, so I promise I am updating as often as I can. So thank you for your patience, on all of my stories, and for being so loyal and so vocal! I love hearing from you guys! And so many of you have reviewed or PM'd me in support! It means the world! **

**I've decided that this story is going to lead to another that will be full of happy, fluffy romance. So stay tuned! :) And happy reading!**

Tony smiled at her and leaned toward her in reply. "_Well_," he said, taking her other hand into both of his. Pepper smiled, watching him as he stroked the back of her hand. "The place is totally secluded," he explained. "He has a big red barn, with a white, two story farmhouse that he spends his time off working on. It has a big porch on the front with a swing. His kids are safe to play outside, and there aren't any neighbors for miles. They go into town when they need something, and everyone knows him and his family by their first names. It's really the picture of quintessential rural America, Pep. And you wanna know what the best part was?"

Pepper smiled. "What?" she purred.

"It was so peaceful out there. No noise like in the city, just..." Tony said. He paused, smiling softly. "_Peace _and _quiet,"_ he mused.

Pepper chuckled. "Ready to leave the rat race, huh, Stark?" she teased.

"I _am," _he replied. "I _really _am, Pep." He stood up, walking their breakfast dishes to the sink, and looking out the kitchen window. Pepper turned in her chair to watch him, silently. Tony gazed outside, quiet and thoughtful. Then, he turned back around to face her, shoving his hands in his pockets. "The only thing I want now is _you, _our _baby, _and a simple, quiet, no fuss-no muss life. Do you think I'm asking too much?"

Pepper stood up and went to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and Tony pulled her close. She shook her head. "Not at _all,_" she assured. "In fact, I think you're finally learning what's important."

Tony smiled at the realization that she was right. Then his eyes alighted with the thought of another detail. "Oh! And the sky? At night?" he said, his eyes sparkling with wonder. "I've never seen so many stars, Pep."

Pepper smiled, his boyish enthusiasm warming her heart. "Really?" she asked. "Not even in the suit?"

Tony shrugged. "Not really. I've always been too busy to look up, you know?"

Pepper nodded in understanding. "Sounds like country life is already starting to suit you," she cooed.

Tony nodded and smiled, looking deeply into her eyes. They both chuckled. Tony rested his forehead against hers, and Pepper slid her hands to his chest. They shared the moment, silently, together before Tony raised his head and looked at her. He took a deep breath. "Let's start talking acquisitions as soon as we get back, " he said decidedly.

Pepper cocked her head and looked at him curiously. "Wow," she murmured. "You _are _serious."

Tony nodded and shrugged. "Why wait? It's time to close the book on that chapter of our lives. We sell. We leave that world behind us, in search of..."

"A new one?" Pepper asked, smiling at him coyly.

Tony smiled and nodded. "_Exactly," _he said. "Think about it, Pep. Privacy? security? The freedom to live our lives how _we _see fit? Why _wouldn't _we want to make that happen as soon as possible? Aren't you tired of having to look over your shoulder all the time? Don't you crave getting out of the limelight?"

"You don't have to sell this to me,Tony," Pepper replied. "I understand why you want to do it."

"I know you do," Tony replied. "You know what I keep thinking? Before, it was just _me _out there. And then there were the Avengers, and suddenly I wasn't alone anymore. And then I thought that, like me, they were all going to grow weary of it, too. _That's _why I wanted to do something to take them all out of the game, away from the danger. Which..."

"_Completely _backfired," Pepper reminded him playfully.

Tony chuckled at her teasing him, and nodded. "But then I realized they_ want_ to fight the world's fights. So it's time to let them do their job. I've done my part. And it's time for me to walk away," he explained.

"You sound like you're trying to justify your decision," Pepper said, furrowing her brow.

"I'm _not,_" Tony argued.

"But you _are,_" Pepper replied. "This isn't a press conference, or an interview. You don't have to explain anything to _anyone. _You've sacrificed a lot. No one will begrudge you your choice to leave."

Tony looked at her, silently, and frowned in thought. Then he shook his head, and smiled sheepishly. "You're right," he admitted. He shrugged. "Maybe I'm just...I don't know. Used to having to explain myself? And I've had to be in the fight for so long, that now that I'm _not, _I guess I don't really know how to react."

Pepper cupped his face in her hands. "It'll take some time for you to adjust," she said. "That's understandable. And it's perfectly normal."

Tony chuckled. "What do _I _know about normal?" he joked.

Pepper chuckled. "Not much," she teased. Tony feigned injury and they laughed. "But I have the feeling you'll catch on quickly," she said. She softly kissed his lips, and he kissed her back, her affection quickly melting away his anxiety. He inhaled and deepened the kiss, and Pepper moaned in approval.

The kiss slowly broke, and they opened their eyes to gaze at each other lovingly. Pepper studied Tony's face, detecting some more deep reflection. "What's on your mind?" she asked him.

He shrugged. "I'm happy, I'm excited, I'm nervous, I'm..." he said, his voice trailing off. He looked at her for a moment before speaking again. "I'm just glad we're doing this _together_, you know? This is the start of us building our lives together, Pep. How great is that?"

Pepper smiled proudly. "Pretty great," she said.

Tony smiled and nodded. "_Really _great," he replied. "And it's not just _us_, now, either," he said, stepping back and glancing at Pepper's belly. He laid a gentle hand on her stomach and smiled up into her eyes. "We're starting this adventure with someone we haven't even met yet."

Pepper chuckled and rested her hand on his. "That's the most exciting part," she said, smiling lovingly at him. "We're going to be a _family, _Tony. This is a whole new space for us."

"Are you nervous, too?" he asked her.

Pepper chuckled. "I'd have to be dead not to be a little nervous," she said. "But I also can't _wait _to meet our baby."

Tony chuckled. "Neither can_ I_," he said. "He's gonna be _perfect. _I already know."

"And how do you know that?" Pepper joked.

"Well, his _mother's _perfect, so..." he replied. Pepper giggled.

"And _he_?" she said, smirking at him. Tony deadpanned and nodded emphatically.

"So what if he's a _she?_" Pepper asked.

"Anthony or Antoinette. Either way," he quipped cockily.

Pepper laughed. "Antoinette?!" she said. "What if I want to name her Virginia, huh? What about _that?_" Pepper shot back, playfully poking him in the chest.

Tony flinched, and chuckled. "Oh, come _on, _Pepper! You're bluffing! You _hate_ your name! Even _I _know that!" he replied.

"No, _you _hate my name," she corrected. "But what about having a little _Ginny _running around the country side?" she offered.

Tony pursed his lips as he reconsidered. "Okay, okay, you _may _have a point there," he admitted. "So little Ginny or little Anthony, then?" he said, smiling at her hopefully.

Pepper shrugged. "Let's just say we've officially started the baby names list," she said, leaning in for another kiss.

Tony smiled and kissed her back. "Agreed," he said, pecking her lips and affectionately rubbing her back. "And I'd say we're off to a good start, too."


	5. Chapter 5

Tony hadn't stopped smiling since they had left the airport hangar in LA, and Pepper had become more and more curious as to what her husband had planned for this trip. She studied him, her brow furroughed and her lips pursed,, and he was pretending to be oblivious to her stares as they flew once again across the country to Kansas, as they had so many times in the last few weeks, to meet with their realtor and see some more pieces of property where they could either build or renovate to their liking. But, for some reason, this time felt different, though Pepper didn't have any idea why, and Tony wasn't giving her any clues. Any time she'd asked why he was so giddy, he'd just shrugged and grinned some more, or said, "I can't be happy we're flying to Kansas again?", in which case she'd laugh and call his bluff, telling him that he wasn't fooling anyone by trying to tell her that that particular flight was ever overly exciting.

It had been 3 months since he had come to retrieve her at Nick Fury's secret hideaway, though it felt to the both of them like it had been much longer. So much had happened in that time. Stark Industries had attracted a buyer, and not a moment too soon. Pepper's baby bump had started to show, and before it had become clearly visible to the ever-present eye of the press, she had been able to make her exit from the corporate world. She'd helped with the transition to the new company. And the afternoon she walked out of SI headquarters for the last time, Tony picked her up out front in the R8 and they sped off toward the airport to fly to Kansas, that time for two reasons. First, was for a very important appointment with the Justice of the Peace at the Two Rivers county courthouse, where they were married in a quick and quiet ceremony, and two, to begin their search for a place to plant their roots. Pepper had insisted her mother be in attendance at their wedding, and Tony liked the idea of having their marriage certificate in the state of Kansas, instead of California. He figured it would be safer from prying paparazzi eyes, and, these days, he was all about building a life of quiet, simple, normalcy.

Pepper sat across from Tony in their chartered private jet (as all Stark jets and corporate leased vehicles had been part of the acquisition), drumming her fingers on her increasingly rounding belly, staring curiously at her husband. Eventually, after growing weary of trying to ignore her, he simply turned his gaze from the view outside to the woman sitting in front of him, his chin resting in the palm of his hand, and smiling mischievously. "It's just killing you, isn't it?" he stated.

Pepper broke out in a bashful grin. She shook her head. "I don't know _what _you're up to, no," she said. "But having to sit here and watch you grin like this is making it all the more suspenseful." She leaned forward, and Tony leaned toward her. "Just what have you cooked up this time, Tony Stark?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well, _Pepper Stark," _he purred. He took her hand in both of his and rubbed the back of it gently, giving it a tender squeeze. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"

Pepper's eyebrows shot up. "A surprise? So now, there is a _surprise?" _she cooed.

Tony chuckled. "Yep, and that also concludes the Q&amp;A portion of this flight. You'll just have to wait for the rest," he said smuggly. He sat back in his seat, and Pepper continued to gaze at him curiously, which he found all the more amusing.

XxXxXxXxXx

Once they touched down, and disembarked, they climbed into their rented Audi SUV, and Tony plugged an address into the navigation. Pepper cocked an eyebrow at him, as it wasn't a location she was familiar with from the properties their realtor had given them to peruse online. He just smirked, and stayed quiet.

They made small talk during the drive, about the plans they had for this particular trip,, and how green the fields were now that summer was in full swing. They were heading down the highway, when the GPS instructed Tony to pull off onto a dirt road coming up within the next quarter mile. Pepper had been chattering to him about making time to see her mother this trip, when the command silenced her. Tony turned the car down the road, and glanced out of the corner of his eye at his wife, who sat beside him looking totally perplexed. She stayed quiet as they continued to ride, the country lane tree lined with ancient Cottonwoods, making the road feel very private and secluded. "Beautiful," Pepper murmured.

"It gets better," Tony assured.

Pepper looked at him, her brow furroughed with curiosity. "You've been here before?" she asked.

He shrugged and smiled. "Not in so many words, Pep," he said.

Pretty soon a long white-railed fence appeared. It stretched for several hundred yards before it connected to a gated entrance, with an archway made in the same style. The gates were currently open, and when Tony pulled through them, Pepper gasped. "Oh, Tony!" she whispered with wonder. He just grinned proudly, staying silent as he pulled up the driveway, and turned off the car. They both climbed out, and Pepper stood in awe, taking it all in.

Inside the gates, and up at the end of the driveway, sat a large white washed, two story farmhouse, complete with big lead glass picture windows in the living room and kitchen, and a large wrap around veranda. The property was filled with old mature trees, and Pepper closed her eyes for a moment to listen to the breeze blowing through the branches. She took a deep breath, and let out a very satisfied sigh. Tony watched her silently, smiling at how much she was already enjoying this place.

"Wanna see the inside?" he asked.

Pepper turned to look at him, her eyes glowing with giddy excitement. "Do I?' she asked. " Do you even need to ask?"

Tony grinned, and walked around the car, grasping her hand in his. He led her up the steps and onto the porch to the front door where he produced a set of keys. Pepper looked at him curiously.

_"You _have the keys?" she asked.

"Yep. Sure do," Tony replied. Pepper shook her head in bewilderment, as he opened the screen door, and slid a key into the deadbolt. He turned the lock, and they both heard it click open. Tony popped open the door, and motioned for her to walk in. "After you, my love," he said, with a jokingly formal tone.

Pepper accepted the invitation, and walked inside. Tony followed behind her.

She came to a dead stop in the entry way, completely awestruck by what she saw. The house, by her estimation, had to have been built around the turn of the century. The smell of varnish, and the slight scent of wood smoke from many a fire in the old brick fireplace in the living room made it feel very cozy and inviting, like stepping into a home that had been passed down through generations and lovingly cared for by each. The rooms on the main floor were closed off by pocket doors in each of the doorways, hidden by ornate woodwork stained dark long ago. The high baseboards ran the perimeter of each room, and antique wood floors ran throughout, making the sounds of their voices and footsteps reverberate seemingly endlessly.

Tony stepped up beside her, and gently grasped her hand again. "Come on," he said, gently leading her up the wooden staircase, each step creaking softly with their weight. "There's a lot more to see."

He lead her to the top floor, where the bedrooms and the main bathroom were. There were four spacious bedrooms. "I'm sure we'll find _some way _to fill these rooms," he teased, putting his arms around Pepper's waist from behind, and gently laying his hands on her belly.

She smiled, and turned around to look at him. "More babies, perhaps?" she cooed.

Tony feigned surprise. "Actually, I was thinking a gym, a billiards room, and a study. But okay! Babies work, too," he joked, shrugging.

Pepper giggled and pecked his lips before stepping away from him.

Tony followed her into the one large bathroom with an old clawfoot tub and another picture window looking out onto the backyard. It was completely charming, and she found herself imagining taking long luxurious soaks in it. "I think you're thinking the same thing I am," Tony mumured.

"Mmmmmhmmm," Pepper purred, smiling slyly. "It looks _divine, _doesn't it?"

"I think you'll look divine soaking in it, yes," he answered. "Just promise me I'll get to watch you at least once."

"Oh, you'll be soaking in it _with _me," Pepper purred back.

Tony whimpered, and she chuckled.

They walked out of the bathroom and down the hall to the bedroom across from the master. She opened the door and walked inside. It was a brightly lit, very spacious room, flooded with plenty of sunshine from the bay window. She could easily imagine their child sitting there and reading or coloring for hours. It was a room any child could easily grow up in, and the thought brought tears to her eyes.

Pepper swiped at her tears and turned around to face Tony, smiling sheepishly. He smiled warmly back. Then he grimaced, and inhaled sharply. "Okay, Potts," he said. He sighed heavily, and pulled her into his arms. "Clearly, you hate it. I mean, really. This is totally _not _what we're looking for, right? It's entirely way too charming and _way _too remote. And it's definitely, _definitely _too close to your mother, and its only got the perfect amount of acreage, with an almost _too _perfect big red barn out back, and what's with all of these trees? I'm mean, seriously, Pep? Who can sleep with all of that rustling?..." he babbled.

Pepper threw her arms around his neck, and kissed his lips hard to stop his chatter. Tony's eyebrows shot up, and he kissed her back just as earnestly, wrapping his arms around her waist. The kiss slowly broke, and he rested his forehead on hers. "It's perfect, right?" he murmured.

Pepper nodded, as new happy tears filled her eyes. She sniffed and raised her head to look into her husband's eyes. "It's better than perfect," she replied.

Tony nodded. "Well, good," he said. He kept one arm around her waist, and used the other hand to pull the house keys out of his pocket. He tossed them in his hand, before handing them to her. "Because it's _ours," _he said.

Pepper's eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. She shook her head in disbelief. "What? How did you...when...,"

"Peggy called me last week, said it had just come on the market, and she sent me the listing. I took one look at the pictures, and made an offer immediately. I couldn't let this one get away, Pep. It was everything we'd been looking for."

Pepper was dumbstruck. Several moments passed and she didn't speak. And it was making Tony nervous.

"...So, yeah, I know I, uh," he said, clearing his throat awkwardly, and trying to fill the agonizing silence. "I probably should have told you about this place first, and I really didn't plan on buying it until I had talked to you, but there were other offers, and the clock was ticking, so you know, I kind of had to work fast, so..."

"I love it. It's perfect," she said.

"Really? So you're happy? You're not pissed that I.." Tony said, wincing.

Pepper shook her head and smiled. "No, no. I mean, I wish you would have said _something _..."

"I know. I know, baby. And I'm sorry! Really! But if I had waited, we would have lost it. And can you imagine? I mean just look around," he said.

They both glanced adoringly around the room that would be their baby's room, and then looked back at each other lovingly. Tony put his hand on her stomach, and Pepper looked down at it and smiled and then looked back up into his eyes. "Our _baby, _our _kid_ is going to get to grow up here. How awesome is that going to be?"

Pepper smiled at her husband, and cupped his face in her hands. She slowly kissed his lips, and smiled at him. "Thank you," she said. "I think you did the right thing."

Tony smiled bashfully. "Yeah?" he said. "So it officially gets the highly coveted Potts stamp of approval?" he teased.

Pepper nodded. "Oh, yeah," she replied. "_And _l'll even through in a gold star," she teased back.

Tony chuckled and pulled her back into a kiss. Pepper wrapped her arms around his neck, and deepened it. She felt a few fluttery kicks in her stomach, which made her smile. Tony broke the kiss, and smiled curiously at her. "Something funny?" he asked.

Pepper rested a hand on her stomach, and patted it lovingly. "I think your son approves, too," she said.

Tony raised his eyebrows. "Really," he said. He bent down so that his face was level with her baby bump. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, buddy," he muttered. He patted her stomach sweetly, and Pepper laughed. He just shrugged and smirked. "What can I say? The kid knows how to pick 'em," he joked. Pepper chuckled again and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck, pulling him into a tight hug. Tony hugged her tightly back.

"I can't wait to start my life with you guys, here," he murmured, planting a kiss to the side of her head.

Pepper pulled back to look at him. "A new house, a new baby, a new life," she said. "That's a lot of change, Stark. You sure you're ready?" she asked.

Tony gave her a cocky smirk. "Honey, I've been ready for _years_," he said, in his trademark husky rumble. "You?"

Pepper smirked back."Bring. It._ On," _ she replied.

Tony chuckled, and pulled her back into a hug, the two of them enjoying the feeling of embarking together on this new happy chapter in their lives.

The End

**Thanks for reading! There will be a follow up coming very soon, and it will be BRIMMING with fluff! So stay tuned to follow Tony and Pepper as they work to build their new lives together! Oh, the possibilities, right? :)**


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